Treasuring Christ Together in His Word
The following is an adapted excerpt from Christ Our Treasure.
Because everything about Jesus is attractive, a regenerate heart becomes more enthralled with Him the more we see of Him in the Scriptures. Similarly, as our churches walk along the pathways of God’s Word together, the whole congregation will become more awestruck with Jesus. Being “Word-centered” or “gospel-centered” are common ways churches describe themselves today. Both are wonderful expressions in my estimation, but only insofar as we see Jesus as the center of God’s revelation of Himself in His Word and the gospel.
Saul of Tarsus knew the Bible extremely well, but he did not know Jesus at all. Post-conversion, Paul finally understood that the entire Bible—which he thought he knew so well—is actually all about Jesus (Acts 28:23). Like Saul, we too can attach Bible verses to all sorts of church practices yet remain altogether unimpressed with Jesus. The full-orbed glory of Jesus and the faith-purchasing gospel of Jesus in every portion of Scripture is the food churches need. And we need the church because we need help to behold Jesus and live a Jesus-besotted life. Left to ourselves we may suppose we are following Jesus while being devoted to a figment of our imagination. Testing our view of Christ in the community of a Bible-believing church sharpens our apprehension of Him to accord with His reality. Jesus Himself warned against following the wrong “Jesus” (Mark 13:21). A personal devotional life is an important part of growing in love to Jesus. But belonging to a Word-fed, Jesus-beholding church is God’s command (Hebrews 10:25). Indeed, any church that is truly feeding on the Word of God will—according to Jesus—behold Jesus (John 5:46). Because the Bible is the nourishment our churches need to feast on Christ, Paul reminded Timothy (as he was writing the Bible!) that Jesus was his strength (1 Timothy 1:12).
The consequences of drifting from Jesus are drastic. Our great danger is presuming to live as Christians without the presence of Christ (Exodus 33:16). Like the Ephesian congregation in the book of Revelation, many churches today that once “loved Him first” have since been lulled to sleep. World love owns the hearts of many churches, weekly gatherings notwithstanding. As the gaze of our churches shifts away from Jesus, our eyes grow numb to His glories. A carnal heart appraises Jesus as boring. Meanwhile, heavenly citizens are currently exhilarated by His all-satisfying fullness (John 1:16). If Jesus does not appear attractive, the deficiency is not with Him. Churches find themselves one click off of True North all too easily. We settle for shadows without substance. Please do not go to church to hear philosophies and worldly principles rather than Christ (Colossians 2:8). Nothing is more stunning than God, and all of God dwells in Jesus (v. 9). Jesus took away every impediment between you and God when He was nailed to the cross (v. 14). Religious activity is empty without Christ (v. 16–17). The whole church has nothing apart from Jesus (v. 19). Getting rid of sin is impossible without clinging to Jesus (v. 21–23).
Even while using Bible verses, our churches can drift far from Jesus (Hebrews 2:1). We need to be regularly reminded to “fix our eyes on Him” (Hebrews 12:2).
“To know Jesus Christ in every piece and point, whether in birth,
or life, or death, it is saving knowledge: O stand not upon cost,
whether pains or study, tears or prayers, peace or wealth, goods or
name, life or liberty, sell all for this pearl: Christ is of that worth and
use, that thou canst never over-buy Him, though thou gavest thyself
and all the world for Him; the study of Christ is the study of studies;
the knowledge of Christ is the knowledge of everything that is
necessary either for this world, or for the world to come.”
—Isaac Ambrose
Local churches are God’s plan for His people because He knows that each of His sheep needs a Christ-treasuring cohort. Every local church is to be comprised of Christ-treasurers who together amplify and aid one another in treasuring Him more fully. We strive to help one another know Christ so that we may more fully worship and enjoy Him. Christ Jesus saves us to know God in order that we may prize Him (cf. John 17:3; Matthew 4:10).
The Spirit of God—who inspired the words of Scripture—is delighted to elevate the Person and work of Jesus—who is the supreme Subject of Scripture. Jesus taught that the Spirit’s primary vocation is to exalt Jesus. Speaking of the Spirit’s ministry, Jesus said, “He will glorify Me” (John 16:14). If our eyes are not more drawn toward the glory of Jesus, then our hearts are not experiencing the Spirit’s work…no matter how much of the Bible we “know.” We are being led by the Spirit of God to the degree that we are resting by faith in the true Jesus and walking in obedience to Him (Romans 8:8–10).
Meet the author:
Jordan Thomas
Jordan Thomas is a husband, father of six, and founding pastor of Grace Church, Memphis. After preparing for the ministry through college and seminary, Jordan went on to train in church planting at Bethlehem Baptist Church before returning to Memphis, Tennessee to plant Grace Church in 2007. Jordan now continues in local church ministry through shepherding the fold at Grace Church and leading with Treasuring Christ Together Church-Planting Network.
